Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-10-27


witchery, that my whole life and des-
tinv seemed to lie in the hollow of q
girls dimpled hand It was beauti-
full little hand. Cased in long glove.
the dainty hand lay lightly, like
white flower, upon the black coats
of Pussy's partners. The Quirinal
ballroom had never seen a lovelier
presence than Pussy Black as she APP
peared that evening. There were
| crowds of white tulle about her.
caught up with white waterlilies, and
lily buds peeped lovingly from under
the golden knot that lay low on her
graceful head. Not one of the princi-
pesse. duchesse and contesse who
glanced at her with vailed. we'll bred
contempt from under their naughty
eyelids could compare with her for
beauty or charm. They were MORALLY
jealous of her. Princess Ghigi went
so far as to refuse Pussy's hand in the
grand chain of the lancers. On the
other hand, some of the most magniti-
cent male grandees of Rome laid
themselves beneath the little white
slippered feet of the California girl.
Pussy seemed to say to me with her
eyes: 'All this triumph and success
and homage are for YOU" She danced
the cotillion with me, and Count Cas-
telnuovo. who led it. looked stilettos
and vendetta The supreme moment
of my life came when found myself
alone for moment with Pussy in
little pale blue satin alcove lined with
shining mirrors that gave back the
reflection of her slender white figure.
l had just cloaked her with marvel
Gus hooded mantle of white feathers.
and Ter blue eyes looked up into mine
like forget-me-nots springing from
under snow-drift Coquette as she
was, there was no coquetry in that
glance.
Just then a loud laugh in the corri-
dor broke the silence. l hurried
Pussy out of the alcove and found Mrs.
Black waiting with Count Castelnuovo
at the head of the stairs among tie
palm trees. Mrs. Black looked brill
iantly handsome and rather vulgar.
She wore an uncommonly self-satisfied
expression.
'Mr. Bruce" said the ex-circus
rider, imperiously, Twill you give me
your arm and let Count Castelnuovo
escort my daughter?'
Pussy reminded me of beautiful
great, white bird. as she skipped down
the stairs before me in her feather
cloak, with Count CastelnuOvo playing
the part of hungry, fortune-hunting
hawk.
had barely seated myself at Mrs.
Penderlip's side. at the pension dim
ner-table on the following evening,
when that good lady put up her eye
glass and looked at me inquisitively.
II suppose you've heard the news"
she said.
"The old news? the Wall street
panic! That happened two weeks
ago."
mo. Pussy Blacks engagement
to Count Castelnuovo."
| l
kept my countenance, but was bad
ly hit.
Il thought Mrs. Black was playing
for title" said Mrs. Penderlip. She
announced the engagement to all her
friends this afternoon. heard it dis
cussed at Mrs. De Ravens tea Mrs.
De Haven is a New York woman. She
has never been willing to know Mrs.
Black, but. of course, titled sOn-in-
law will make great difference /
told Mrs De Haven to-day that there
was no truth whatever in the story
that Mrs. Black had been circus
rider or that her mother sold cab
bages. said 1 had known Mrs.
Black since she was child, and that
her mother was very lovely woman
and perfect lady. "You see." pur-
sued this worldly old person. 81
heard this morning that the Wall
street panic cuts my income down
one-half 1t would be quite impossi-
bic for me to exist in America ON my
reduced capital, so that shall have to
end my days in Europe. can make
an excellent living as 4 pedigree
voucher for newly-enriched Ameri-
cans"
Mrs. Penderlip's eyeglasses fell on
her plate with sardonic crash.
Between ourselves" she continued,
picking them up. 'this engagement
has been the saving grace of the
Blacks Their social race was almost
run. and I have it on good authority
that their names were to have been
stricken of the court list before the
next ball at the Quirinal. Mrs. Black
had the indiscretion to send an arm
chair made of piece of California
big tree to his High Majesty. and she
favored the Queen with floral Offer
ing in the shape of goose of white
camelias, swimming in sea of gore